Crowns Of Fate (on Hold)

Chapter 41

G E N E R A L P O V

The air in the indoor gym of Zenith Arcanum was thick with the scent of sweat and Frustration.

Jeongguk was in the middle of his routine in his private gym, sweat dripping down his face as he pushed himself through another set of weights.

The rhythmic clinking of metal and the thudding of his heartbeat were the only sounds in the room. His muscles burned with exertion, but his mind was far from the present; it was trapped in a relentless loop of regret and heartache.

He had just moved to the punching bag, channeling his frustration and sorrow into each powerful hit, shirtless and focused, pounded away at the punching bag, each hit resonating with his internal turmoil. The sound of leather meeting leather echoed through the spacious room, a steady rhythm that matched the frantic pace of his thoughts.

He was about to throw another punch to the punching bag when a distinct tone echoed through the room. It was the custom alert he had set for Taehyung, a sound he hadn't heard in what felt like an eternity. It had only been what? 2 weeks? 2 months? He wasn't even sure as he was so out of it when Taehyung left.

His heart skipped a beat, and he dropped his gloves instantly, rushing over to his phone. Unlocking the device proved to be the hardest mission as his hands were shaking.

His petal finally contacted him, and he didn't want to make him wait even if it was for a few seconds.

When he did finally open the message, his eyes widened as he read the words over and over, each sentence cutting deeper into his already wounded heart. The realization of what he had lost hit him like a freight train.

⁜It hurts to know that you think my love for you is so weak that I would not even attempt to fight for us. However, at the very least, I am delighted to know what your perception of me is, and how you feel⁜

Jeongguk's breath caught in his throat as he read the words. His vision blurred with unshed tears. The weight of Taehyung's hurt and disappointment crashed over him, leaving him gasping for air. He read the message again, hoping he had misunderstood, but the words remained the same, piercing his heart.

A groan of frustration and pain escaped his lips. He couldn't contain the surge of emotions any longer. With a scream of pure anguish, he hurled the phone against the wall. It shattered into pieces, fragments scattering across the floor like the remnants of his shattered heart. He sank to his knees, hands clutching his head, as the weight of his mistakes crushed him.

Jeongguk sank to his knees, clutching his hair, trying to ground himself in the midst of his agony. Memories of their last encounter at the cabin flooded his mind. The harsh words he had spoken in a moment of anger and insecurity, the pain in Taehyung's eyes, the way he nodded at Jeongguk's words before he had walked away...

It all replayed like a cruel, unending loop. Jeongguk pounded his fists into the floor, his body wracked with sobs. He had pushed Taehyung away, doubted his love, and now, he was reaping the consequences.

He could have sworn he heard the gym door open, but he didn't care to pay mind to it. He had just lost Taehyung for good. Or so it seems.

"Jeongguk?" He heard Jimin call from the door.

His brother had kept their interaction to a minimum after Jeongguk had confessed everything he said to Taehyung, Verbatim.

Jimin's face just became emotionless before he nodded and marched back to his room. Thus began a period of silent treatment. Until The crowned prince went to his younger brother, begging him to talk to him.